Efficient feeding frequency

ABSTRACT

Ruminant animals, as herbivores, survive and produce while feeding chiefly on grass or other roughage consisting of large amounts of cellulose. Ruminants which have been consuming primarily diets high in cellulose must gradually be adjusted to high grain rations. When the attempt is made to adapt and feed ruminants diets containing no roughage, metabolic problems surface. The increase in lactic acid and accompanying fall in rumen  p  H resulting from roughage or cellulose withdrawal leads not only to the destruction of cellulolytic bacteria which digest cellulose), but to the destruction of lactate utilizing organisms, resulting in acidosis and its attendant adverse effects, which results in less than optimal cattle performance. Herein roughage can be eliminated allowing ruminants to consume an all grain, properly balanced due without these adverse reactions. A roughage free diet for ruminants is provided which alters the eating behavior of cattle. The die incorporates ingredients which modify feed consumption patterns of cattle consuming a roughage free diet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to feed composition for ruminants, andparticularly to roughage-free diets for such animals.

Ruminant animals are classified as herbivores, meaning they can surviveand produce while feeding chiefly on grass or other roughage feedingredients consisting of large amounts of cellulose. Beef cattle areclassified as ruminants. Those maintained for reproductive purposesnormally live on ingested forage consisting of large amounts ofcellulose and are supplemented with additional protein, energy, mineralsand vitamins when nutrients in forages do not meet nutritional needs ofthe reproducing animals. However, the offspring from these cattle whichare being produced for slaughter will normally be placed in a confinedfeeding facility (feedlot) at 7-15 months of age, and fed growing dietsconsisting of 30-60% roughage and/or finishing diets consisting of only5-15% roughage, the roughage will normally be in the form of hay,silage, fodder, corn cobs, cottonseed hulls, etc. The remainder of thediet will consist of a high energy grain source such as corn, grainsorghum, barley, wheat, etc., and properly balanced for protein,minerals and vitamins.

Including 5-15% roughage in the diet of finishing cattle tends to lessenthe variation in feed intake, to reduce the amount of feed cattle willnormally consume at each feeding, and to increase the number of feedingseach day compared to cattle receiving feed containing no roughage. Inaddition, roughage in high grain diets stimulates the flow of saliva,which helps buffer the acids produced during fermentation, intake andreduces the concentration of energy in the diet. When attempts are madeto feed ruminants diets containing no roughage, animal performance isreduced and metabolic problems normally occur. Feed intake of cattlereceiving roughage diets becomes very erratic, and the amount ofbuffering capability through salivation is reduced which leads to rumenmalfunction problems. Normally cattle will tend to consume more of theno roughage diet at each feeding and reduce the number of feedings eachday. This erratic intake of all grain (no roughage) diets, even thoughproperly balanced for protein and minerals, will result in starchoverload. When this occurs, conditions in the rumen favor theproliferation of gram-positive microbes whose end product offermentation is L- and D-lactic acid. The rumen pH can fall to 4.0,destroying the protozoa, cellulolytic digesting organisms andlactate-utilizing organisms. Other potential problems which can resultare bloat, founder, abscessed liver, kidney lesions, rumenparakaratosis, abomasal ulcers and death.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We have now found that roughage can be eliminated allowing ruminantsfree-choice access to an all grain, properly balanced diet withoutharming rumen digestion and producing the metabolic problems commonlyassociated with the feeding of non-roughage rations.

A roughage free diet for ruminants is provided herein which alters theeating behavior of cattle. We have now found that by incorporating keyingredients which modify feed consumption patterns of cattle consumingan all grain diet, that cattle will; 1) reduce the amount consumedduring their largest daily feeding, 2) increase their number of feedingseach day, and 3) increase the uniformity in the size of all feedings.Feeding(s) is defined as the amount or number of times cattle consumefeed each day. Altering the eating pattern of no-roughage finishingrations produces a similar feeding situation to a roughage containingration without producing the negative side effects normally associatedwith the feeding of all grain (no-roughage rations). Reducing the amountconsumed at each feeding helps eliminate grain/starch overload and thisreduces the acid buildup in the rumen. Increases in the number offeedings each day result in greater uniformity of feeding size whichfurther reduces grain/starch overload and provides a more uniformmicrobial population in the rumen with fewer digestive disturbances.This allows cattle to gain weight similar to those on roughagecontaining rations. However, because feed intake is reduced, cattle aremore efficiant in converting feed to weight gain. Prior to the discoveryherein, there has not been a totally satisfactory solution found, whichallows the roughage to be eliminated in feedlot diets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One of the disadvantages of feeding supplements without free-choice,that is intake limiters, to ruminants grazing forages is that theanimals tend to over-eat and get a higher intake of feed supplement thannecessary, or that can be effectively utilized.

Feed compositions which limit the intake or the amount of supplementconsumed on a daily basis by cattle grazing forage are exemplified inU.S.Pat. Nos. 3,669,676, 4,230,736, 4,311,213 and 4,895,728,incorporated herein, as well as others. As described in the prior artthe intake limiting feeds can contain ammonium sulfate, fish oil,diammonium phosphate, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, calcium sulfate,salt, calcium chloride, sodium hydroxide, meat meal, chlorinated fat andacidulated fats. They are used for ruminants grazing forages. When thenutrient content of the forages is insufficient to meet the nutrientdemand of the animal, supplementation is required.

It is then desirable to limit the intake of the feed supplement so thatover consumption does not occur. Incorporating intake limiters intosupplements has been used for this purpose. We have now discovered thatthese feed intake limiting compositions will also modify the consumptionpatterns of feedlot cattle receiving an all grain ration, and overcometheproblems associated with the elimination of roughage from ruminantfeeds. This will now be illustrated by means of specific examples.

PROCEDURE A

A group of 32 individually fed beef animals were allotted to each of thetreatment groups to equalize weight and genetic potential. The cattlewereadapted from a high roughage ration to the high/all grain rationsover a 21day period. Feed was available on an ad libitum basis. Specialequipment was developed to measure the amount of diet consumed at eachfeeding, the number of feedings per day and the time of each feeding.Observations weremade for four days on each of the 8 animals pertreatment.

EXAMPLE 1

In the first example, cattle were provided a combination of intakemodifiers (fish oil, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate) atdifferent levels through a dry protein supplement, which wasincorporated into an all concentrate ration to balance protein, vitaminand mineral deficiencies of the grain and molasses mixture. Theses dietswere comparedto a common roughage containing finishing ration and an allconcentrate ration containing no intake modifiers. The diets fed and thelevel of intake modifiers contained in the diets are shown in Table 1A.

                  TABLE 1A                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                All Concentrate                                                         Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Corn silage                                                                              8.5       --      --      --                                       Cracked corn                                                                             79.4      88.2    88.2    88.2                                     Cane molasses                                                                            3.9       3.9     3.9     3.9                                      Dry supplement                                                                           8.2       7.9     7.9     7.9                                      Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil   --        --      0.18    0.24                                     Ammonium   --        --      0.34    0.44                                     sulfate                                                                       Diammonium --        --      0.20    0.26                                     phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

Dry matter intake, number of feedings per day, average size of feedings,largest consumption for individual feedings each day and the time offeeding each day were measured for four consecutive days on each of the8 animals used on each treatment. The results are shown in Table 1B.

                  TABLE 1B                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Treatments                                                              Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Dry matter in-                                                                           21.8      20.3    18.5    18.1                                     take, lb                                                                      Feedings/day, #                                                                          8.0       8.0     8.9     8.7                                      Avg. lbs/feeding,                                                                        3.04      2.80    2.3     2.3                                      lb DM                                                                         Largest feeding,                                                                         6.4       5.9     5.4     4.4                                      lbs DM                                                                        Night feedings, #                                                                        0.79      0.72    1.04    1.48                                     ______________________________________                                    

Incorporating the intake modifiers in the all concentrate rationresulted in a reduction in dry matter intake, an increased number offeedings/day, a reduction in the average amount consumed at each feedingand a reductionin the largest meal consumed at any one feeding. Inaddition, the increasednumber of feedings by each animal resulted inmore night feedings during the 8:00 pm-8:00 am time period.

An exact study was conducted to evaluate the effects of incorporatingthe modifiers in a liquid supplement. The diet fed and the level ofmodifiers included are shown in Table 1C.

                  TABLE 1C                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                All Concentrate                                                         Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Corn silage                                                                              8.5       --      --      --                                       Cracked corn                                                                             85.3      94.1    94.1    94.1                                     Liquid supplement                                                                        6.2       5.9     5.9     5.9                                      Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil   --        --      0.21    0.23                                     Ammonium   --        --      0.39    0.42                                     sulfate                                                                       Diammonium --        --      0.21    0.25                                     phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

The results are found in Table 1D.

                  TABLE 1D                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Treatments                                                              Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Dry matter in-                                                                           21.3      21.5    19.2    18.8                                     take, lb                                                                      Feedings/day, #                                                                          8.1       7.4     9.2     7.9                                      Avg. lbs/feeding,                                                                        2.9       2.9     2.2     2.5                                      lb DM                                                                         Largest feeding,                                                                         5.7       6.2     4.7     4.7                                      lbs DM                                                                        Night feedings, #                                                                        1.19      1.29    1.69    1.56                                     ______________________________________                                    

These results are similar to that observed with the dry supplement,indicating that the modifiers are effective in changing eating behaviorofall concentrate ration in both forms of supplements.

Further studies have been conducted to determine the effect ofindividual intake modifiers on consumption patterns. The studiesfollowed the identical procedures outlined in the previously reportedtrials. The firststudy was used to identify the effects of varyinglevels of fish oil, whereas the second study evaluated different levelsof ammonium sulfate. The diet composition and modifier levels are shownin Tables 1E and 1F, with the results being shown in Tables 1G and 1H,respectively.

                  TABLE 1E                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                All Concentrate                                                          Rough- Low Fish High fish                                                                              Low                                                  age    Oil      Oil      Level                                                Control                                                                              Modifier Modifier Modifier                                   ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Corn silage 8.5      --       --     --                                       Cracked corn                                                                              79.4     88.2     88.2   88.2                                     Cane molasses                                                                             3.9      3.9      3.9    3.9                                      Dry supplement                                                                            8.2      7.9      7.9    7.9                                      Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil    --       .18      .24    .18                                      Ammonium sulfate                                                                          --       --       --     .34                                      Diammonium  --       --       --     .20                                      phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 1F                                                        ______________________________________                                                      Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                All Concentrate                                                                 Low Am-   High Am-                                                     Rough- monium    monium    Low                                                age    Sulfate   Sulfate   Level                                              Control                                                                              Modifier  Modifier  Modifiers                                 ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Corn silage                                                                              8.5      --        --      --                                      Cracked corn                                                                             79.4     88.2      88.2    88.2                                    Cane molasses                                                                            3.9      3.9       3.9     3.9                                     Dry supplement                                                                           8.2      7.9       7.9     7.9                                     Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil   --       --        --      .18                                     Ammonium   --       .34       .44     .34                                     sulfate                                                                       Diammonium --       --        --      .20                                     phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 1G                                                        ______________________________________                                                        Treatment Comparisons                                                         All Concentrate                                                          Rough- Low Fish High fish                                                                              Low                                                  age    Oil      Oil      Level                                                Control                                                                              Modifier Modifier Modifier                                  ______________________________________                                        Dry matter intake, lb                                                                      22.1     21.3     20.2   19.9                                    Feedings/day, #                                                                            7.4      6.8      6.6    7.8                                     Avg. lbs/feeding,                                                                          3.2      3.6      3.3    2.7                                     lb DM                                                                         Largest feeding,                                                                           6.0      6.3      6.0    5.3                                     lbs DM                                                                        ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 1H                                                        ______________________________________                                                      Treatment Comparisons                                                         All Concentrate                                                                 Low Am-   High Am-                                                     Rough- monium    monium    Low                                                age    Sulfate   Sulfate   Level                                              Control                                                                              Modifier  Modifier  Modifiers                                 ______________________________________                                        Dry matter in-                                                                            18.6     17.2     17.8    16.4                                    take, lb                                                                      Feedings/day, #                                                                           7.2      10.3     9.5     8.5                                     Avg. lbs/feeding,                                                                         2.7      1.8      2.1     2.1                                     lb DM                                                                         Largest feeding,                                                                          5.5      4.3      4.7     4.1                                     lbs DM                                                                        ______________________________________                                    

Individually at the levels used, fish oil was not an effective intakemodifier compared to the use of a combination of fish oil ammoniumsulfateand diammonium phosphate (Table 1G). However, ammonium sulfate atboth the low and high levels did modify intake patterns, but possiblynot as consistent as that found when the combination was used (Table1H).

The foregoing data indicates when roughage is replaced with supplementscontaining intake modifiers such as ammonium sulfate, diammoniumphosphateand fish oil, that eating patterns are changed, which precludesthe necessity to include roughage in feedlot finishing rations. This wasverified in three animal performance trials.

PROCEDURE B

Each of the three studies consisted of 4 treatment groups with 16 headof animals per treatment. The cattle were individually fed and had feedavailable on an ad libitum basis. Animal weights and feed consumptionwas determined. The diets and level of modifiers used for the 3 studiesare shown in Tables 2A, 2B and 2C. Results are shown in Tables 2D, 2Eand 2F.

                  TABLE 2A                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                All Concentrate                                                         Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Cracked corn                                                                             83.3      91.6    90.3    87.0                                     Corn silage                                                                              8.7       --      --      --                                       Premix*    --        --      1.9     5.1                                      Animal fat --        0.8     --      --                                       Dry supplement                                                                           8.0       7.6     7.8     7.9                                      Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil   --        --      0.2     0.5                                      Ammonium   --        --       0.43    0.44                                    sulfate                                                                       Diammonium --        --       0.26    0.26                                    phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                        *The premix contained 90% cracked corn and 10% fish oil.                  

                  TABLE 2B                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                All Concentrate                                                         Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Cracked corn                                                                             83.3      92.5    90.7    90.7                                     Corn silage                                                                              8.7       --      --      --                                       Premix     --        --      2.0     2.0                                      Animal fat --        2.0     --      --                                       Dry supplement                                                                           8.0       7.3     7.3     7.3                                      Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil   --        --      0.2     0.2                                      Ammonium   --        --       0.40    0.40                                    sulfate                                                                       Diammonium --        --      --       0.24                                    phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2C                                                        ______________________________________                                                 Diet Composition, % Dry Matter                                                Dry Supplement                                                                             Liquid Supplement                                                Rough- Low Level Rough-   Low Level                                           age    Intake    age      Intake                                              Control                                                                              Modifier  Control  Modifier                                   ______________________________________                                        Ingredient                                                                    Corn silage                                                                              8.4      --        8.5    --                                       Cracked corn                                                                             79.5     88.1      85.3   94.1                                     Supplement 8.2      7.9       6.2    5.9                                      Cane molasses                                                                            3.9      4.0       --     --                                       Intake Modifiers                                                              Fish oil   --       0.18      --     0.21                                     Ammonium   --       0.34      --     0.39                                     sulfate                                                                       Diammonium --       0.20      --     0.21                                     phosphate                                                                     ______________________________________                                    

The results from these three performance trials indicate thatperformance can be enhanced by removing the roughage from feedlotfinishing rations, as long as the all grain/concentrate ration containsintake modifiers needed to alter eating behavior.

                  TABLE 2D                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Treatment Comparisons                                                         All Concentrate                                                         Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Initial weight, lbs                                                                      925       975     978     959                                      Daily gain, lbs                                                                          2.69      2.74    2.77    2.71                                     Feed intake/day,                                                                         17.5      16.8    16.2    15.2                                     lbs DM                                                                        Feed required/                                                                           651       613     585     561                                      CWT gain, lbs                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2E                                                        ______________________________________                                                       Treatment Comparisons                                                         All Concentrate                                                         Roughage                                                                              Con-    Low Level High Level                                          Control trol    Modifiers Modifiers                                  ______________________________________                                        Initial weight, lbs                                                                      914       928     932     932                                      Daily gain, lbs                                                                          2.98      2.98    3.11    3.04                                     Feed intake/day,                                                                         21.2      18.8    18.4    17.7                                     lbs DM                                                                        Feed required/                                                                           740       650     600     590                                      CWT gain, lbs                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2F                                                        ______________________________________                                                 Treatment Comparisons                                                         Dry Supplement                                                                             Liquid Supplement                                                Rough- All Conc. Rough-   All Conc.                                           age    Low Level age      Low Level                                           Control                                                                              Modifier  Control  Modifier                                   ______________________________________                                        Initial weight, lbs                                                                      690      697       694    669                                      Daily gain, lbs                                                                          3.77     3.55      3.45   3.45                                     Feed intake/day,                                                                         20.3     16.7      18.8   16.7                                     lbs DM                                                                        Feed required/                                                                           540      470       560    490                                      CWT gain, lbs                                                                 ______________________________________                                    

The results shown in Tables 2D and 2E indicate that when the roughage isremoved (all concentrate control), average daily gain is unchanged, feedconsumption is reduced and feed efficiency improved. However, whenintake modifiers are incorporated into the all concentrate ration, feedintake isreduced further with an improved feed efficiency. Based on theprevious eating behavior data, incorporating the intake modifiersincreases the number of feedings per day, and reduces the amountconsumed at each feeding. This change in eating behavior improves theutilization of the feed grains, which provides for an improvement infeed efficiency, compared to cattle receiving the all concentratecontrol.

These results also indicate that the level of the intake modifiers canbe altered in amount or modifier type and change total dry matterintake. Thedata in Table 2D indicates that increasing fish oil from 0.2to 0.5% will reduce daily intake from 16.2 pounds to 15.2. Incorporating0.24% diammonium phosphate (Table 2E) reduces daily dry matter intake inthe modified rations from 18.4 pounds to 17.7.

The data in Table 2F is shown to further verify the reproducibility ofthe foregoing results. These results indicate that a positive responsefrom the intake modifiers will occur in either a dry or liquidsupplement.

The foregoing data show that when roughage is replaced with supplementscontaining feed intake modifiers such as ammonium sulfate, diammoniumphosphate and fish oil (Table 1B), there was an increase in the numberof feedings, reduced feeding sizes, and a reduction in the amountconsumed during the largest feeding. Moreover, quite unexpectedly, thenight meals data indicate that meals were more spread out during eachtwenty-four hourperiod. Further medical testing showed fewer metabolicproblems such as bloat and acidosis, which is unexpected based onprevious research conducted with the feeding of all concentrate rations.

Feed intake modifiers used herein to compensate for lack of roughage,are employed, desirably in a premix, in an amount of 0.2 to 0.5 percentbased on the weight of the feed. Usually 0.2 to 0.35 is sufficient topermit roughage to be eliminated from the diet without symptoms normallyaccompanying roughage withdrawal.

Having been given the teachings of this invention other advantages andmodifications will occur to those working in this field. Thus, by theelimination of roughage from the diets of cattle the quantity of animalwaste is reduced making pen cleaning less time consuming. In additionthe administration of grains and pellets is more economical than hay. Inthe case of beef animals it is more desirable to raise the animal sothat it eats on a twenty-four hour feeding schedule rather than on oneor two feedings per day. Referring now to modifications, the inventionherein hasbeen found operable in a wide variety of feeds includingcorn--dry processed, high moisture and steam flaked, milo--dry rolled,steam flaked and high moisture, wheat dry rolled, steam flaked,oats--dry rolled, barley dry rolled, wheat middlings, and corn glutenfeed--wet and dry. Such ramifications are within the skill of the art.

We claim:
 1. A method of feeding protein-based, grain-based,carbohydrate-based and fat-based diets which are devoid of roughage, toa self fed ruminant animal without adverse effects which result fromroughage-free diets consisting essentially of administering to theanimal a roughage-devoid diet to which has been added a consumptionpattern modifying supplement selected from the group consisting of fishoil, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate and mixtures thereof, in anamount effective to modify consumption patterns of the animal toovercome problems associated with the elimination of roughage fromruminant diets.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the feed consumptionpattern modifying supplement is fish oil.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein the feed consumption pattern modifying supplement is ammoniumsulfate.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the feed consumption patternmodifying supplement is a diammonium phosphate.
 5. The method of claim 1wherein the consumption pattern modifying supplement comprises a mixtureof fish oil, ammonium sulfate and diammonium phosphate.
 6. Aroughage-free diet for ruminants which overcomes problems associatedwith the elimination of roughage from ruminant diets consistingessentially of a protein-based, grain-based, carbohydrate-based andfat-based ruminant diet which is devoid of roughage, in combination witha consumption pattern modifying supplement selected from the groupconsisting of fish oil, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate andmixtures thereof, incorporated in the diet in an amount effective tomodify consumption patterns by increasing the number of feedings withoutloss of weight to inhibit digestive problems stemming from roughage-freediets.
 7. The roughage-free diet of claim 6 wherein the feed consumptionpattern modifying supplement is diammonium phosphate.
 8. Theroughage-free diet of claim 7 wherein the feed consumption patternmodifying supplement is ammonium sulfate.
 9. The roughage-free diet ofclaim 7 wherein the feed consumption pattern modifying supplement is amixture of diammonium phosphate, fish oil and ammonium sulfate.
 10. Aroughage-free diet for ruminants which overcomes problems associatedwith the elimination of roughage from ruminant diets consistingessentially of a protein-based, grain-based, carbohydrate-based andfat-based ruminant diet which is devoid of roughage, in combination witha consumption pattern modifying supplement selected from the groupconsisting of fish oil, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate andmixtures thereof, incorporated in the diet in an amount effective tomodify consumption patterns to reduce overall intake, to reduce theamount consumed at the largest meal, to increase the number of feedingsso that loss of weight is negligible and to inhibit digestive problemsstemming from roughage-free diets.